Trade roundup: Dodgers get Texas ace Yu Darvish

Published 8:49 pm, Monday, July 31, 2017

Pitcher Yu Darvish, left, responds to a question with help from his translator Hideaki Sato during a news conference regarding his trade to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday.

Pitcher Yu Darvish, left, responds to a question with help from his translator Hideaki Sato during a news conference regarding his trade to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday.

Photo: The Associated Press

Trade roundup: Dodgers get Texas ace Yu Darvish

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The loaded Los Angeles Dodgers made a late trade for Texas ace Yu Darvish on Monday, their boldest move in pursuit of a World Series crown that’s eluded them for nearly 30 years.

The runaway NL West leaders, already with the best record in the majors and the highest payroll, acquired the 6-foot-5 right-hander from Japan for three minor league players in a deal Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said was completed in the last 10 minutes before the non-waiver trade deadline.

“It’s an honor to be wanted by the team,” Darvish said through his translator, adding that he had “nothing but appreciation” for his time in Texas.

Darvish was an All-Star this year for the fourth time in his five seasons playing for the Rangers. He joined Texas before the 2012 season, and missed all of 2015 after elbow surgery. In 22 starts this season, he is 6-9 with a 4.01 ERA.

In 122 starts overall for the Rangers, he was 52-39 with a 3.42 ERA and 960 strikeouts over 782 2-3 innings. But the pitcher who turns 31 on Aug. 16 was 0-5 with a 5.81 ERA in his last eight starts. He was tagged by the Miami Marlins for a career-worst 10 runs last Wednesday, and later revealed he was tipping his pitches.

Rangers manager Jeff Banister said he wished Darvish luck and challenged him to do something memorable.

“There were times where he was just dominating as we’ve seen previously with the fastball, the swing-and-miss slider, the sinker, the split, slow curve,” Banister said. “He’s going to wipe out hitters on days when his stuff is there. You’re going to sit back and watch, and marvel just what he does.”

In return for the ace that initially cost the Rangers more than $107 million to acquire, Los Angeles sent them second baseman/outfielder Willie Calhoun, right-hander A.J. Alexy and infielder Brendon Davis to the Rangers.

Nationals get Kintzler

After adding three relievers in two weeks, the Washington Nationals still aren’t sure who’s going to be their closer.

They now have plenty of strong candidates, however.

The NL East leaders added another by barely beating the trade deadline to acquire Minnesota Twins All-Star right-hander Brandon Kintzler, who is 28 of 32 in save opportunities this year.

Kintzler joins newly acquired Ryan Madson and Sean Doolittle, both obtained July 16 from the Oakland Athletics, in the back of the bullpen. The deals transformed the Nationals’ biggest weakness into a strength, and manager Dusty Baker will sort out who pitches when.

“It gives me options. As a manager you like to have as many options as possible,” Baker said before the Nationals opened a series at Miami. “It’s a continual experiment depending on how guys do. The better a guy performs, the more I can slide him into a certain place.”

Liriano to Astros

The AL West-leading Houston Astros acquired lefty Francisco Liriano from the Toronto Blue Jays, adding him to a rotation that’s been banged up this season.

The 33-year-old Liriano is 6-5 with a 5.88 ERA in 18 starts this season. He is expected to join the Astros on Tuesday.

Houston, which owns the best record in the AL, put righty Lance McCullers on the 10-day disabled list Monday with back discomfort. Ace Dallas Keuchel and Collin McHugh recently came off the DL.

Cubs additions

The rolling Chicago Cubs got a big lift when they acquired reliever Justin Wilson and catcher Alex Avila in a trade with the Detroit Tigers, bolstering their chance for another long playoff run.

The addition of Wilson gives manager Joe Maddon another late-inning option in front of All-Star closer Wade Davis. The World Series champions had been searching for a veteran to back up catcher Willson Contreras since they cut Miguel Montero a month ago, and Avila is having one of the best seasons of his career at the plate.

Tigers general manager Al Avila traded away his son, but his club received minor league infielders Jeimer Candelario and Isaac Paredes and a player to be named or cash. The 23-year-old Candelario was considered one of Chicago’s top prospects, but he was blocked at the major league level by NL MVP Kris Bryant and first baseman Anthony Rizzo.

Orioles net Beckham

Sitting in fourth place in the AL East with a losing record, the Baltimore Orioles refused to abandon their chances of making a playoff run.

The Orioles handled the non-waiver trade deadline as buyers, adding two pitchers and infielder Tim Beckham in hopes of salvaging a season that has thus far been a struggle.

Executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette beat the deadline by obtaining Beckham, who bolsters an injury-riddled infield that’s currently without shortstop J.J. Hardy and utility player Ryan Flaherty.

Duquette got Beckham, the first player chosen in the 2008 amateur draft, from Tampa Bay for minor league pitcher Tobias Myers.

Beckham hit .259 with 12 homers and 36 RBIs for Tampa Bay this season. The 27-year-old isn’t just a quick fix; he’s under contract until 2021.

Smith to Indians

Looking to again ride their bullpen deep into the postseason, the Cleveland Indians added another arm by acquiring reliever Joe Smith from Toronto for two minor leaguers.

A 33-year-old right-hander, Smith is 3-0 with a 3.28 ERA in 38 appearances this season. He returns to Cleveland after pitching for the Indians from 2009-13.

Rosales to Arizona

Journeyman infielder Adam Rosales is on the move again, and the Arizona Diamondbacks found a reliable shortstop to fill what in only a couple of days became a big void as they chase a playoff spot.

Rosales was traded by the Oakland Athletics to the Diamondbacks for minor league right-hander Jeferson Mejia, then the A’s later dealt ace Sonny Gray to the Yankees for three prospects as everyone expected they would do.

Arizona began the day holding the top spot in the NL wild-card race but was suddenly without a shortstop.

Ketel Marte was placed on the bereavement list Monday following the death of his mother in a car accident in the Dominican Republic.